Bucknell shows staying power with first 3-0 start since 1997

Lafayette defensive lineman Tyrus White pressures Bucknell quarterback R.J. Nitti during a game last year. Nitti leads the Patriot League in passing efficiency this season.

Lafayette defensive lineman Tyrus White pressures Bucknell quarterback R.J. Nitti during a game last year. Nitti leads the Patriot League in passing efficiency this season. (CHRIS SHIPLEY, SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL)

When Bucknell blasted Lehigh 48-10 last Oct. 26, some might have chalked up the Bison blowout as a one-day wonder.

But Bucknell followed up that win with three victories in its last four games, and the one loss was a 23-21 setback to No. 7 ranked and eventual NCAA FCS playoff team Fordham in the Bronx.

The late-season charge obviously built momentum that has carried into this season.

The Bison are 3-0 for the first time since 1997 after beating Sacred Heart last Saturday in Connecticut. They are one of 11 remaining unbeaten teams on the FCS level, and their five-game winning streak dating to last season is tied for the second-longest in FCS.

They will go for 4-0 this Saturday in Lewisburg against Cornell, which is coming off a season-opening loss to Colgate.

R.J. Nitti threw four touchdown passes in the win over Sacred Heart, the most for a Bucknell quarterback since 1996. The sophomore is No. 1 in the league in passing efficiency and second in passing yards behind Fordham standout Michael Nebrich.

Sophomore running back C.J. Williams is third in the league in rushing at 124.7 yards per game.

However, the strength of the team may be its defense, which is No. 1 against the run and No. 2 overall behind Lafayette.

Junior Clayton Ewell was named the PL's defensive player of the week after making two interceptions at Sacred Heart, including one that he returned to the 1 yard line to set up a touchdown.

Lehigh coach Andy Coen, whose team begins league play against Bucknell on Oct. 11, is not surprised by the Bison's success.

"Nitti is playing really well for them and he's a big, strong kid," Coen said. "And you know that they're going to be a very physical team like they've always been. They're going to be a formidable opponent.

"I've known their coach [Joe Susan] for a long time, and he has done a really nice job. He went into that program wanting it to look a certain way and he's done that."

Lots of big tests remain for Bucknell, which will host Lafayette on Nov. 7 and Fordham on Nov. 14.

Stat stuff

Georgetown has allowed only a field goal in its last nine quarters. … The Hoyas' Alec May had nine tackles and a career-high four sacks. It was the most sacks by any FCS player this season and gives him 8.5 sacks this year and 15.5 sacks in his career. … Georgetown has the top scoring defense in the league, allowing just 13.5 ppg, and is thriving with a plus-6 in turnover ratio, earning 10 takeaways in its first four games, including seven interceptions. … Fordham's Nebrich completed 32 of 48 passes for 435 yards in the Rams' 49-7 win over Columbia. He set a school mark with his fifth career 400-yard passing day and leads all active FCS quarterbacks in total offense (6,255 yards) and passing yards (4,380) in a career. … Colgate gave new coach Dan Hunt his first win when it beat Cornell. Nazareth grad Kris Kent led the Raiders defense with nine tackles, including 2.5 for loss. Kent, a senior, is tied for ninth in the league with 24 tackles. Colgate's Jake Kern, a senior from Northern Lehigh, is tied for 14th in the league in tackles with 21 in three games. … The crowd of 7,522 at Andy Kerr Stadium was the largest since 2005.

Did you know?

Fordham's Chase Edmonds, the talented freshman from Central Dauphin East, carried 27 times for 174 yards in the rout of Columbia and had 240 all-purpose yards. He leads the nation with 220 all-purpose yards per game.